Public Toilets

Tony Devenish: Public toilets have been disappearing in numbers for many years , but Coronavirus has brought this crisis to a boil. This is a fundamental matter of public health especially for vulnerable Londoners. What have you (not the Government or Local Authorities) done to ameliorate this matter over the last 4 years' and especially since 23rd March 2020?

The Mayor: Public toilets are a vital facility; helping to create an inclusive city where people have the confidence to move around with comfort and dignity.
I understand the public’s concern regarding access to public toilets since the lockdown started, especially as social activity is increasingly moving outside. However, the provision and management of toilet facilities fall under the remit of the agencies responsible for the spaces where they feature and therefore are outside my powers.
Since I became Mayor, TfL has been working on improving toilet provision across the underground network, including looking to remove fees for using facilities. In fact, London Overground and TfL Rail toilet facilities have been free of charge since 1 April 2019.
My new London Plan Policy ‘S6 Public Toilets’, also requires proposals for large-scale commercial developments open to the public to provide and secure the future management of free publicly-accessible toilets suitable for a range of users. In addition, my Good Growth investment is creating or refurbishing more than 250 toilet units, including more than 180 which are fully accessible in key locations across London.